A photograph within a picture frame is a key social item that human beings have grown powerfully attached to ever since the advent of the camera. From family homes to exclusive gallery spaces, this is something that could be found just about anywhere. But have you ever wondered why? I know I started to after starting my journey into the photographic world.

There is an entire culture out there among photographic artists who have taken the photograph out of the frame and placed it into our 3D world. This is something relatively new and that is quickly gaining support. Let’s dive into some of the artists exploring new ways to present their imagery.

Angela Deane is one artist and photographer whom I have been closely studying for her techniques with photographic works. She has an intriguing series called Flora that consists of vintage postcards turned into strange and other worldly scenes via hand painted faces. She also has a wide variety of video work I find incredibly interesting. What really stood out to me though was her ghost photographs.

This is a body of work that is made up of found photographs from places like garage sales and more. She hand-paints over the people within them to make them appear like white sheet-ed ghosts. This series remarks on memory, time, and space in a way that allows the viewer to become part of these moments. Deane is certainly among one of my favorites in taking the photograph out of the frame and manipulating its presentation.

Let's get lost, Angela Deane, 2017

Round the bend, Angela Deane, 2018

There are many more out there who have inspired others to make their own unique discoveries in reaching outside of the frame. Among them, Justine Khamara has quickly gained following. Her intricate creations from deconstructed photographs are unlike anything I have seen yet. A sort of surreal optical illusion, her installations take photography to an entirely new level.

Vertical Alliteration #1, Justine Khamara, 2013

Susy Oliveira has also made waves for herself in exploration. Combining hundreds of photographs, she creates photographic sculptures that are characteristically within the ‘uncanny valley’ realm. In between reality and fiction these forms are an engaging remark upon our human obsession with replacing nature with fabrication.

Nothing More Nothing Less, Susy Oliveira, 2007

PLATFORM Exhibition, Susy Oliveira, 2010

Time is Never Wasted, Susy Oliveira, 2006

Lastly but certainly not least, Robert Ladislas Derr has to be among the forefront of steering this culture forward. Born in the 1970s, he has a large range of experience with photography and experimenting with its presentation possibilities. In his series, Museum Preservation, Derr combined cyanotypes and rusted fuse boxes turned into light boxes to comment on the museum system itself. This body of work is from 2001 and amazes me that I am only now beginning to learn about it. I have a lot more research and exploration to go myself however, I have begun some experimentation.

Museum Preservation, Robert Ladislas Derr, 2001

My own images from an experimental photography class have inspired me to continue on this path of going beyond the glass and frame. I used my camera to photograph scenes through the holes of my backyard fence and then painted on the printed images to create a dreamlike movie appearance. This work was created to comment on feeling trapped until finally getting to ‘see over the fence’. I now have a marker of my beginnings with this journey and only time will show what it may bring forth.

Through The Fence, Desiree Hernandez, 2017

So, how about you take a chance with your photographs and create something new. A little tear or scratch won’t hurt...

I'm soooo behind on posting these! Thanks a lot health and busy schedule...But yes! I've finally got the pictures up from this shoot I did with the lovely Miko Tollefson. And thanks so much Ivan for Hair and MUA! You both were fantastic <3

Through this imagery I want to remark on this era and its infatuation with getting offended at EVERYTHING. Too many people nowadays, including myself at times, get offended or angry at the most petty of things more so now than I have ever experienced before. Whether it be about what other peoples’ actions are or irrational judgements passed to us personally, it becomes all out war the instant something negative is perceived about ourselves or the things we value. I want to tell people through the use of music and my imagery that we need to let go of such unnecessary hostilities. We need to realize that though we are each different, we are also the same; we feel the same sensations, experience the same things, and live the same sort of lives that have been lived since the beginning of humanity. Allow a little bit of enlightenment to shine once in a while and release the hatred.

It was a long time coming for this project thanks to life and its never ending obstacles; But I am extremely happy to be able to say my two part photo series is finally complete! Thank you Conner for helping me out and being so patient out there. Who needs assistants right? x-D

I have noticed in recent times that we as a culture have taken on certain bad habits. These habits are not exactly new, but we are performing them at a scale to which I have never witnessed before. These habits I am speaking of are denial and outrage. We deny so strongly the things that make us human like vices, desires, and etc. yet we feel entitled to become outraged when seeing them in our daily lives. As if we are all innocent and once one crack shows Humpty Dumpty comes tumbling down. There is something clearly wrong with this picture and I feel the need to set us straight.

The scenes I have depicted would otherwise be ordinary however, there is something amiss in each. I wanted to show the most common things we hunger for in life that could also be the catalyst that we look for to separate ourselves from one another. If we do not stop these habits now, I fear where they will lead us. No more anger or denial; we are flawed and it is beautiful.

Yes, it feels so good to be back! Many aren't aware that I was going through health issues for over a year and a half not knowing what was going on. If you know me I try not to make a big deal out of things about myself and I just retreated into MIA status to fight my problems quietly. It was definitely tough but finally though, I was able to get an answer. One less organ later (my gallbladder) and I've made a 180° change for the better. Now, ready to get back to life with a new start I've decided to try for something big for myself. I've Applied to go back for my Masters degree and now I play the waiting game...

Although we are in the 21st century and fashion for women is much more liberated than ever before, I see it over and over again. If a woman or younger girl is wearing something a little different then what is accepted to be "normal" she gets dirty looks or scoffs. Well, it's time the discrimination is truly put to an end I say! We are creatures of expression and our bodies are a natural canvas for this world's art. Enough with the shame of being comfortable with who we are; let's own those negative jeers and keep on walking.

I often find myself feeling overwhelmed by society today and get to the point where I want to forget about it all and go live on a deserted island somewhere. But then, of course, reality comes knocking and I have to face the fact that it will never be this easy. So, instead of spiraling into a deep depression over it, I have decided to remind myself and others that even if we can't have our deserted island, we can still have a moment; any moment that is all our own.

The focus was more on witnessing a human, a woman specifically for part one of this shoot, with absolutely nothing but themselves and nature around as it was when our species began. I wanted to show that we can find peace and happiness without the bells and whistles we've come to relentlessly rely on. In playing with my feelings of frustration I aim to explore what it really means to be me, us, human, alive and in the moment.

Since being out of school, I haven't really gotten the chance to have a photo shoot just for myself. It was always about getting something right for an assignment or a client, but this time I got to eliminate all of that. I was inspired by music and wanted to tell the story of finding oneself and one's own strength through a loss; specifically love lost. I'm sure that I'm not alone in my struggle to cope with thoughts of losing my loved ones including my true love. So I wanted to explore, from beginning to end, the grieving process and what it would take to get through it all.

It may be a long journey ahead, but not even life can take away the fact that you and that person were connected in ways intangible.